Improvement in printing-telegraphs



,M. F.WESSMANN. Improvement in Printing- Telegraph Instruments.

Patented Aug. 6,1872.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN F. WESSMANN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN PRlNTlNG-TELEGRAPHS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No; 130,260, dated August6, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN F. WESSMANN, of Brooklyn, in the county ofKings and State of New York, have invented an Improvement inPrinting-Telegraph Instruments; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full and exact description thereof, reference being hadto the accompanying drawing making part of this specification- Figure 1being a side view of such parts of a printing-telegraph instrument asare necessary to show my improvement; Fig. 2, a plan of similar parts,showing my improvement; Fig. 3, an end view of a portion of said parts;Fig. 4, a view of a modification of the unison device.

Like lettersnlesignate corresponding parts in all of the figures.

The principal feature of my invention consists in a device by which,with a single wire for the main line and a single battery, the printingis effected automatically by a simple prolonged cessation of the stepand step movement for turning the type-wheel on a broken circuit,substantially as herein speci- 1n the drawing, let A represent thetypewheel magnet; B, the reciprocating ratchetpawl arm operated by themagnet for turning the type-wheel; G, the ratchet on the typewheelshaft; and D, the type-wheel. One end (the lower, as shown) of themagnetcores-a 11 projects beyond the magnet-spools -somewhat furtherthan usual-sufficiently to afford room to apply an additional armature,'E, to the sides thereof, as represented, though this armature might beapplied to the ends of the,

magnet-cores. The armature is pivoted at b to a fixed part of theinstrument, and it has a counter-spring, c, and an adjustable stop, d,as shown, or any equivalent thereof, to limit its outward movement. Itis arranged so as to come into immediate contact with the cores of themagnet, whereas the regular armature G does not, or at least the ironthereof does not, come in contact with the magnet-cores. The principleon which my present invention is founded consists in the fact that ifthe armature of an electro-magnet is not allowed to come into actualcontact with the cores it will immediately separate therefrom when theelectric current ceases in the magnet; but if an armature is allowed tocome into complete contact with the magnet-cores it will cling theretofor a very short time after the electric current ceases. Hence, duringthe rapid successive breaking and closing of the main-line circuit inmoving the type-wheel, though the armature G, which effects thatmovement, falls or separates from the magnet-cores on the instant whenthe circuit is-broken, the

additional armature E continues to adhere to the magnet-cores during thestep-and-step movement for turning the type-wheel, and only separatestherefrom'.when the circuit is left open for a second or two after thestepand-step movement has ceased each time. This armature is used as ameans of breaking the circuit passing through the type-Wheel magnet A,and closing that passing through the printing-magnet, (not shown in thedrawin g,) and vice versa. This is effected by means of the devicerepresented, or its equivalent. The long arm of the lever-armature E,where it has the greatest movement, terminates in a plate, f, (which maybe thin and elastic,) that,

for the purpose intended, is or may be an electric conductor on one, saythe under, side and an electric non-conductor on the other or upperside. Thus constructed it is made to form itself a part of the electriccircuit of the printing-magnet, and it is also made to break the circuitof the type-wheel magnet A at the same time. In connection with thisterminal plate or projection f are employed two small metallic plates, 9h, one of which, say the upper one, 9, is made elastic, or is attachedto an elastic supporting-arm, t, as shown. The other plate may, thoughnot necessarily, be similarly elastic. Ordinarily these two plates arekept in contact with each other at one edge, they being situated in aninclined position to each other, as shown in Fig. 3, and form theconnection of the type-Wheel circuit, the upper plate g being connected,by a wire, I, with the magnet A, and the other plate h being connected,by a wire, m, with the line-wire orwith the ground. These plates aresituated,

in relation to the armature-plate or projection f, so that the latter,when the armature E is held in contact with the magnet A, is opposite tothe separated edges of the plates, but not in contact therewith, asindicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3 5 but when the main-line circuit isheld open long enough to allow the armature E to separate from itsmagnet and it is swung outward by the counter-spring c, the terminalplate f enters between the circuitplates g h and separates them, asshown by full lines in the same figure, thereby breaking the circuitthrough the type-wheel magnet A, in addition to the break at thetransmitter, and closing the printing-circuit through the lower plate hand its wire m, and through the armature E itself, which is connected bya wire with the printing-magnet. Then, on closing the main circuit atthe transmitter by moving the letter-keyforward to the next closing, theelectric current is first sent through the printing-magnet, and theprinting is thereby effected before the. armature E can swing back andclose the type-wheel circuit, which is finally effected to move thetype-wheel correspondingly with the forward movement of the key of thetransmitter. If it is desired to print the same letter or charactersuccessively without moving the type-wheel, a separate printing-key 'onthe transmitter may be used to close and break the circuit, which isdone so quickly that the armature E has not time to close up to themagnet. The armature E is made of soft iron, except a small portion, 0,of brass or other non-magnetic metal in the middle, between the cores ofthe magnet, so as not, by magnetic induction, to impair the force of theattraction of the magnetcores thereon. The unison is released by thisadditional armature E, in manner substantially as follows r The unisonis set by means of a toothed and notched disk, H, brought into action bya projecting pin or arm, 9, (Fig. 1,) on the type-wheel shaft andrevolving therewith, as secured by me in former Letters Patent, and itis held locked by a detent, r, taking into ratchet-teeth on the edge ofthe disk in a similar manner; but this detent, by means of acounteracting arm, 8, thereon, a cord, t, and pulley u, or theirequivalent, is connected with the armature E, which, when it is thrownout before printing, draws the detent from the notch of the unison-diskand sets it free.

In Fig. 4 is indicated a modification of the unison device. It consistsof a bar, H, having a reciprocating movement endwise. It is providedwith cogs on the upper side for setting, by the arm 1), on thetype-wheel shaft, and is held by a detent, 1', taking into notches inthe under side.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. A printing -telegraph instrument constructed so as to effect theprinting automatically, by the cessation of the step-by-step movement ofthe type-wheel, and the recom Inencement thereof for the next letter orcharacter, substantially as herein specified.

2. The combination of the additional armature E and the circuit-plates gh, arranged and operating together, .in connection with other parts ofthe instrument, substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.

'3. The combination of the unison-stop with the armature E,substantially as described, so as to release it by the said armature,substantially as specified. v

4. The" cord t and pulley a for forming connection between the armatureE and the unison device, substantially as herein set forth. MARTIN F.\VESSMANN.

Witnesses:

J. S. BROWN, E. M. GALLAHER.

